Systems and methods for evaluating a wireless communication environment

Abstract

A method for evaluating a wireless communication environment includes (1) causing each of a first wireless base station and a second wireless base station to operate in a respective coordination operating mode where each of the first and second wireless base stations supports wireless communication using a common wireless communication channel, and (2) receiving first environmental data from the first wireless base station, the first environmental data representing one or more characteristics of the common wireless communication channel from a perspective of the first wireless base station.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for evaluating a wireless communication environment, the method comprising: 
 causing a plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a series of coordination events, each coordination event being characterized at least partially by all wireless base stations of the plurality of wireless base stations operating on a common wireless communication channel while each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations monitors the common wireless communication channel and generates environmental data representing one or more characteristics of the common wireless communication channel from a perspective of the wireless base station; and   after occurrence of a first coordination event of the series of coordination events, decreasing duration of each coordination event of the series of coordination events relative to an immediately preceding coordination event of the series of coordination events, until quantity wireless base station event occurrences per coordination event decreases by more than a predetermined threshold between two successive coordination events of the series of coordination events.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each wireless base station event includes one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations identifying another wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations using the common wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each coordination event is further characterized by at least one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations communicating with one or more wireless clients on the common wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each coordination event is further characterized by at least one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations switching to the common wireless communication channel from another wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations is a Wi-Fi wireless base station.  
     
     
         6 . A method for evaluating a wireless communication environment, the method comprising: 
 (a) causing each wireless base station of a plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a first coordination event for a first time duration;   (b) determining a quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the first coordination event;   (c) after each of steps (a) and (b), causing each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a second coordination event for a second time duration that is less than the first time duration;   (d) determining a quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the second coordination event;   (e) determining that the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the second coordination event is less than the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the first coordination event by more than a predetermined threshold amount; and   (f) in response to determining that the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the second coordination event is less than the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the first coordination event by more than the predetermined threshold amount, causing each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a third coordination event for a third time duration, the third time duration being greater than the second time duration.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each of the first coordination event, the second coordination event, and the third coordination event is characterized at least partially by all wireless base stations of the plurality of wireless base stations operating on a common wireless communication channel while each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations monitors the common wireless communication channel and generates environmental data representing one or more characteristics of the common wireless communication channel from a perspective of the wireless base station. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first coordination event, the second coordination event, and the third coordination event is further characterized by at least one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations communicating with one or more wireless clients on the common wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first coordination event, the second coordination event, and the third coordination event is further characterized by at least one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations switching to the common wireless communication channel from another wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, after step (f), causing each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a fourth coordination event for the third time duration. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the third time duration is less than the first time duration. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each wireless base station event includes one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations identifying another wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations using a common wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations is a Wi-Fi wireless base station.  
     
     
         14 . A method for evaluating a wireless communication environment, the method comprising: 
 (a) causing each wireless base station of a plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a first coordination event for a first time duration;   (b) determining a quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the first coordination event;   (c) after each of steps (a) and (b), causing each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a second coordination event for a second time duration that is less than the first time duration;   (d) determining a quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the second coordination event;   (e) determining that the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the second coordination event is not less than the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the first coordination event by more than a predetermined threshold amount; and   (f) in response to determining that the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the second coordination event is not less than the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the first coordination event by more than the predetermined threshold amount, causing each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a third coordination event for a third time duration, the third time duration being less than the second time duration.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first coordination event, the second coordination event, and the third coordination event is characterized at least partially by all wireless base stations of the plurality of wireless base stations operating on a common wireless communication channel while each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations monitors the common wireless communication channel and generates environmental data representing one or more characteristics of the common wireless communication channel from a perspective of the wireless base station. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first coordination event, the second coordination event, and the third coordination event is further characterized by at least one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations communicating with one or more wireless clients on the common wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first coordination event, the second coordination event, and the third coordination event is further characterized by at least one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations switching to the common wireless communication channel from another wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each wireless base station event includes one wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations identifying another wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations using a common wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 determining a quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the third coordination event;   determining that the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the third coordination event is less than the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the second coordination event by more than the predetermined threshold amount; and   in response to determining that the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the third coordination event is less than the quantity of wireless base station event occurrences during the second coordination event by more than the predetermined threshold amount, causing each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations to participate in a fourth coordination event for a fourth time duration, the fourth time duration being greater than the third time duration.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each wireless base station of the plurality of wireless base stations is a Wi-Fi wireless base station.